Rugby: "No irregularity" noted after a double inspection on the finances of the FFR

«

No irregularity" was found in the accounts of the French Rugby Federation, suspected of budgetary anomalies over the period 2016-2023, by inspectors of the ministries of Finance and Sports, announced Thursday the FFR in a statement.

«

On 5 May, the Federation received a first summary and oral restitution of the report of the general inspections. Their first conclusions on the scope of mission were clear: no irregularities have been noted over the last seven years of management, "says the FFR. Contacted by AFP, the Ministry of Sports said it would communicate "in due course" on the conclusions of this audit, whose final conclusions are expected in June.

This double audit, whose final conclusions are expected in June, before the start of the World Cup in France (8 September-28 October), was launched following a report sent at the end of January to the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra about suspicious contracts passed by the FFR. The ministry had decided in the aftermath, on February 3, to refer the matter to the Directorate General of Competition and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), before triggering jointly with its counterpart of Finance a budgetary control mission of the federation.

"A very thorough control of almost two months"

According to the FFR, "the inspectors carried out a very thorough control of nearly two months, having access to all the internal documents of the Federation and questioning many staff and elected officials". "The fields of control were very wide: accounting, ticketing, invitation policy, salary policies, human resources management, mission expenses of elected officials and employees, operating costs, decision-making circuits, contracts, competitive procedures, project management," the statement said.

The report "would also contain recommendations on financial management or on the management of major projects. These recommendations would allow if necessary functional improvements, "says the FFR. The FFR, whose former president Bernard Laporte resigned shortly before the launch of this double audit on January 27, must renew part of its steering committee next week.

Elected for a second term in 2020, Laporte had resigned after appealing his two-year suspended prison sentence for having forged a "corruption pact" with businessman and president of the Montpellier club Mohed Altrad.

After his departure, opposition MPs left the FFR steering committee in the face of the refusal to organise new elections. Treasurer Alexandre Martinez has served as interim president ever since. The election of the new president of the Federation, whose candidates have until May 31 to declare, is scheduled for June 12. The results will be announced on June 14.